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Everything babies do revolves around their mouths and hands. When teeth come in they experiment with them to see what it’s like to bite different things – including skin.

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Triggers: Try to identify what’s happening when your child engages in these behaviors and see if there is a pattern. For example: is he/she hungry, bored, overwhelmed or tired? Did another child take her toy away?

Redirect to socially acceptable behavior: example, if child hits you, say “no hitting” and ask for a high 5 or a hug.

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If you bite or hit back and then tell the child not to bite or hit, the child is getting a very confusing and mixed message. It also lets them know that biting and hitting can get you what you want.

If the child continues say, “I cannot let you play with Michael anymore until you say you’re sorry and stop hitting.” (young children don’t have all of these words, need you to speak the words for them. They will understand the words even if they can’t say them”.)

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